A largely uncharacterizable group of musicians in the late 60's and early 70's who pioneered punk ideas. Contained many bands with many different sounds.
The Stooges, Velvet Underground, New York Dolls, and even the Who are proto-punk
To satisfy hewchardon, HELL YEAH! New York is the second most kick-ass city, next to London. Way better than that cultureless, hgihway-riddled, superficial, dumbed-down shithole called LA.